Onset of Coronary Heart Disease is Associated with HCMV Infection and Increased CD14 +CD16 + Monocytes in a Population of Weifang, China

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the relationship between human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection and peripheral blood CD14 ⁺CD16 ⁺ monocytes in the pathogenesis of coronary heart disease (CHD), and to elucidate the mechanism of pathogenesis in CHD by analyzing the correlation between infection, inflammation, and CHD, to provide a basis for the prevention, evaluation, and treatment of the disease.

Methods: In total, 192 patients with CHD were divided into three groups: latent CHD, angina pectoris, and myocardial infarction. HCMV-IgM and -IgG antibodies were assessed using ELISA; CD14 ⁺CD16 ⁺ monocytes were counted using a five-type automated hematology analyzer; mononuclear cells were assessed using fluorescence-activated cell sorting; and an automatic biochemical analyzer was used to measure the levels of triglyceride, cholesterol, high- and low-density lipoprotein cholesterols, lipoprotein, hs-CRp and Hcy.

Results: The positive rates of HCMV-IgM and -IgG were significantly higher in the CHD groups than in the control group. HCMV infection affects lipid metabolism to promote immune and inflammatory responses.

Conclusion: HCMV infection has a specific correlation with the occurrence and development of CHD. The expression of CD14 ⁺CD16 ⁺ mononuclear cells in the CHD group was increased accordingly and correlated with acute HCMV infection. Thus, HCMV antibody as well as peripheral blood CD14 ⁺CD16 ⁺ mononuclear cells can be used to monitor the occurrence and development of CHD.

Keywords: Antibody; CD14+CD16+ monocytes; Coronary heart disease; Human cytomegalovirus; Weifang.